Tiny Stranger
by Usuian13
Summary: Sterek plus baby. Derek is a busy CEO at Hale corporations, Stiles is a recent graduated lawyer who can't find a decent paying job. And Arty is a baby and knows nothing of the drama and danger around her. Fluff warning...and language
1. Prologo

It had been ...unexpected. But, not really surprising.

Like rain on a sunny day, unexpected but not...

It was raining that night, middle of september, when a single knock on the door brought Derek to the front door.

A pretty lady stands on the doorway, rain soaked from head to boot, with a baby on her arms. The name Derek knows her by is Pixy, and her mischievous smile is for first time gone.

He waited until Pixy walked in.

Jackson Whittemore appeared with all the legal papers needed.

Pixy tried to explain herself, and the baby cried through the whole thing.

There were some ugly things screamed, and papers signed.

At some point Pixy must had left, because it was morning and there was a baby on Derek's arms, and Jackson was asking if they could feed her coffee.


	2. The Pack and The Tiny Stranger

**The Pack and The Tiny Stranger**

It was the first time Derek had called for a pack meeting. He had attended plenty and had been the center of attention of too many for his taste -though they were more interventions than actual meetings. Derek drags his feet as he enter the Hale territory as he considers running away, giving some half-assed excuse and postpone the meeting until forever. (Move to some little farm -away from everything, raise his child and never mention any of this…) But at the same time his wolf needs the pack; the security and support that the pack means-and so will little Arty.

Derek stops at the sight of his childhood home, the house is uncharacteristically quiet, he can hear the hearths of his family members' and he knows that by then they had noticed that he is not coming alone.

It takes more willpower than it could be expressed for Derek not to run when he opens the front door of his old home to finds his whole family standing there with wide eyes. No one speaks, not even Peter who smirks while looking confused -it would be funny if it wasn't so weird-.

They move in silence to the big cozy living room, Derek takes the center of the room and pats Arty that grows more and more uncomfortable on the new setting, and the rest of his family scatters through the room but no one make themselves comfortable yet.

The thick silence is cut by Arty's cries, every werewolf on the room winces -and a few of humans as well.

"OMG is real!" Cora gasps, and just like that everyone starts to speak.

Derek could barely hear himself softly whine over all the questions fired at him. The Alpha orders calm, and the pack becomes reluctantly quite.

"The procedure still stands. Derek will explain his case, and only when he is done he will answer our questions."

Talia turns to her son, her expression slightly softer. "Derek, speak"

The baby was sucking on Derek's black t-shirt, he had learned that separating her would only mean a minimum of 20 -non-stop-crying minutes (she doesn't like her pacifier). So, her father lets her suck on his t-shirt.

"This is a baby." The people on the room shoot blank looks to the speaker. Derek had written down his explanation. He was suppose to first claim parenthood, present baby as 'Artemis Hale,' then re-cap about how terrible he is at dating and choosing lovers -maybe mention how 9 out 10 times his family had an intervention about him is to let him know that he is dating an abuse b #%- and of course how little time his job gives him anyways. So, and a 'convenient' relationship _just happened_...

Arty's little feisty fists remind him that he had stayed on silence after his first statement.

"She is Artemis Hale, and she is a month old." Derek nods towards his chest. "She has been living with me for a week and a half."

"Her mother wouldn't be around, I believe." Cora lets her head very slowly descend on her open palm. Derek could feel his cheeks grow hotter.

Derek nods to his Alpha to indicate that he is done.

Cora jumps out of the sofa she was sitting on, but Dawn speaks first.

"is she hungry?" Derek shakes his head.

"I feed her earlier...she just does that."

"WHO DID YOU SCREW?!"

Derek turns to Cora, and he felt like he had been punched in each lung. He didn't really know. 'Pixy' is not a real name, and they never exchange information -no address, work, phone-number, nothing (Derek is not even sure how she found him). They just go to the same coffee shop, they talk about nothing and if they feel on the mood...they just go to the near by the motel.

"It doesn't matter." Derek barks out.

"So, she just drops a kid-"

"She does not matter." It felt weird to say it out loud, but it was true. Derek liked to think of Pixy as a friend (an strange friend), but she left him with a baby on arms and a lousy explanation that Derek cannot even remember.

Arty starts crying.

Cora gives him a sad look and returns to her sofa.

Arty continues crying. Daisy, one his cousin's' wife, tries to calm Arty but the baby refuses to leave Derek's arms. After an hour of continuous crying, people start asking their questions over the baby's dislike.

Many 'how's' and 'when's' were asked, until they reach the 'now, what?'

"Are you going to take a leave of absence?" Laura asks quietly.

"No" Peter answers. "You can't."

Peter finally speaks, he had somehow contain himself, and he simply states that there is not another acceptable answer.

"Derek the company needs you. I don't care that you were able to get yourself pregnant and now a little demon is trying to eat your flesh." Derek hugs Arty a little tighter as to protect her from any mean words. "But your timing!"

Derek looks down on shame, he knows they are working on a schedule and that they can't afford setbacks.

"Three years of planning!" Peter emphasizes.

Four years ago their Alpha decided to step down from the presidency, and pointed Laura as the next CEO of Hale companies. Peter fought against it, he thought that he should be the president (if not the Alpha) but somehow everything was worked out. Instead, everyone stabilized the company for the change of leadership and ready themselves to break into Laura's choice of market.

Arty cries louder, inhumanly loud, and the everyone in the room including the Alpha and except for Derek who could not let go of the baby, cover their ears.

"I'll figure it out" Derek says as he walks out with Arty.


	3. From Lawyer to Babysitter

**From Lawyer to Babysitter**

Derek wakes up at the sharp sound of Arty crying. She is like a tiny puffy alarm clock, with the snooze button stuck on intervals of 15, 5, and 35 minutes. Arty is laying next to Derek on his bed, kicking her fat thighs and crying. The wolf stares at her as he tries to find 'what is it?' this time. Arty is clean, he feed her 50 minutes ago, she is on her favorite pillow and she is holding her favorite toy -a blue wolf plush. Experimentally, Derek takes her plush away, Arty makes a grabby motion with her hands, Derek returns the little wolf upside-down and the baby starts munching on the tail.

Five minutes later Derek is awaken by his alarm, the real one, and with a soft groan he stands ups, baby secure between his arms. They move to the shower, Derek makes sure the water is to a suitable temperature, and both step in the shower. His right arm is tired of holding Arty, but at least Arty appears to enjoy the water. She cries as Derek dries her. Derek dresses on his suit and observes Arty struggling to crawl across the bed. He glances to the alarm clock next to the bed, is seven and the new babysitter should arrive at any minute now. Getting Arty into her diaper was a fight, but it was a war to get her into her pretty green dress. She cries as Derek tries to brush her hair. He would allow her to be a little nudist but he wants to make a good impression on the babysitter, then maybe this one would stay … at least the week.

At 7:45 Derek starts to really worry, he feeds Arty and paces around the door.

Derek had been looking for a good babysitter for months. At first he was only accepting sitters who had experience with werewolves -which tend to be supernatural creatures-, but Arty's higher than human possible cries soon overwell all creatures with a heightened hearing. And human sitters were eventually wore down by Arty's feisty personality.

Arty struggles on Derek's arms, she kicks and throws her arms around on a failed intent to free herself. The wolf groans, is 8:15, he is officially late once again, Derek lets Arty on her big pink pillow on her secure playing area, and she screams to show her discontent.

He rings the sitter services, and starts making Arty's bag. He picks two blankets and three changes of clothes. The other line picks up, Derek gets from the refrigerator an apple puree, two meat flavored baby food and a 'chicken and peas.'

"Good morning!, Welcome to Baby's favorite~ Sitte-"

"This is Derek Hale." The voice on the other line goes silent, and Derek moves to retrieve the baby formula and some baby bottles.

"Good morning, Mr. Hale. How may-"  
"Your sitter did not show up, and I'm half hour late for work." Derek fits random toys on any free spaces left on the baby's bag.

"I'm very sorry-"

Derek sighs out loud, the last three sitters did not last two visits and this one doesn't even show up.

"I'm not satisfied with yours company's services" Arty is still crying. "But I'm calling to let you know that I won't need your services anymore." Derek presses the red circle on his phone's screen, and moves to pick up Arty. The baby stops crying and starts chewing Derek's blue tie.

Derek doesn't even feel sorry for his beautiful car as he pushes the baby's cage to make space for the baby's chair (it's brown with pink paw prints). Arty fights with her father as he secures her seatbelt.

The ride was loud, Arty cried the whole way and Peter screamed through the intercom of the car about how late Derek was.

Every worker avert their eyes from Derek and his barely-calm-ready to explode child, all interns hide, Erica (who has experience with her own babies) shamelessly leaves the building and drags Boyd with her.

Derek turns to search for Isaac or Laura, the only kind souls who would say something like "*deep sigh* fine, I'll take her. Go to sleep." But instead he finds Peter staring at him through the glass of the 'interviewing' or 'make little interns fight each other to almost death -and every once in a blue moon actually hire someone' room. The man is sitting behind a long desk, two occupied chairs at his left and an empty one meant for Derek at his right. There is a young man at the center of the room sitting in a black leather chair looking uncomfortable on his slightly too big suit.

Derek is too tired to care as he proceeds to his office.

The man on the black leather chair and the light blue new suit looks at one of his interviewers, Peter Hale, who has stopped mid question to stare to the mirror wall.

"Could you repeat the question?" Stiles asks as respectfully as possible.

The man -Peter looks back at Stiles, but he looks annoyed -actually all the men look annoyed and Stiles feels like he already messed up this interview.

"Why should the new domestic branch of the company hire a criminal lawyer?" Scott McCall (his dear friend and only good enough reference that actually got him an interview with Hale corporations, asks.)

"And why should the 'Defence and Attack' branch of the Hale Company hire little baby you instead of any other less breakable lawyer?" Peter finishes.

Stiles feels his mouth go dry, he knew that him being a human would be a problem and that his lack of experience was a biggy -but he didn't expect to be so directly told both.

So, his mouth moves by its own.

"The expansion of Hale company on the domestic section is full of potential, and it offers a new audience to target -humans. Which might be a little shy to trust a supernatural mostly company, especially on a market with so many human options from more conservatives companies." Stiles looks for Scott who is smiling at him. "Having humans employees on the new branch, and a human lawyer to vouch for the products would make it more credible for humans. Since a good portion of the product is meant to help supernatural creatures hide their differences from humans on an everyday basis -having the approval of your humans employees would be essential."

Stiles looks at Scott who looks really annoyed, Stiles panics for a moment but Scott signs with his hand to calm down 'it's not you.'

"And to answer your second question…" Stiles looks at Peter Hale who is covering his ears, and Stiles could feel his blood boil in anger dangerously high.

Stiles clears his throat, but no one is paying attention, not even Scott. Out of habit he snaps his fingers and whistles shortly. That got the attention of the three men.

When Stiles understands how inappropriate that is for a job interview, even worst when your interviewers are werewolves -often stereotyped as dogs-, then it was too late.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Stilinski" Peter Says, and Stiles' legs carry him outside.

Before the weight of what just happen could hit Stiles, the sharp and loud cry of a baby hits him.

The horrible noise comes from an office and Stiles opens the door, just to check that said baby was not being murdered or something alike. The baby was crawling on the floor, her face red in an ugly over exaggerated frown, fat tears and snot falling like tiny waterfalls, and the terrible cries flowing from her throat. Stiles would had walked out if it wasn't for the father. A man wearing an expensive suit on his knees desperately searching for something on a extra large green baby bag, but by the baby cloths, foods and toys on the floor -it was not in the bag. He looks tired and on the edge of following his daughter on the party of tears.

Stiles has a soft spot for single fathers (who else brings their baby to their -no-baby-zone- work), so Stiles walks across the office and picks up the baby. Which is a terrible idea, no one should pick up strange babies without their parents permissions but it seems like Stiles' adderall was not working today.

"What is the big deal?~" He asks the baby who gradually stops crying. The baby seems distracted like she had never seen anyone like Stiles before, and she would be right.

'The big deal' Stiles thinks, besides not being hired, so no salary, therefore no way to pay college debt or the medical debts that still torture his father.

The man from the floor is now standing next to Stiles, and he takes in the miracle he is presenting -only interrupted by screams that did not belong to Arty.

"Your pooping machine's cries can be heard all the way in to the interviewing room while an interview was occurring!"

Peter's enters the office as he screams the lasts words, and stares angrily at Derek who 'huss' him instead and points to Arty. The baby looks at the screaming man, her face pink and ready to release hell.

"Did the scary man scare you?" Stiles coos the baby as he whips her face with the dinosaurs print Kleness he found on the desk, Arty lightly protests and pushes the colourful tissue away from her face.

"No, no~" Stiles continues "Do you want a booger face? No. Almost~. Done! Now, that wasn't that bad, was it?"

Stiles arms start to hurt under the baby weight, and he turns towards the father.

"Here, you can have her back." Stiles says with a smile, and continuous a little more self-conscious, "and sorry for just picking up your kid. You...you kinda look like you needed some help, and kids like me...so" The young man stops noticing that he is still holding the baby, and he turns to see to his ..ex-interviewer but the man has the same shock look on his face. Stiles clears his throat.

"I'm sorry." Derek says as he retrieves his daughter who immediately starts sucking on his _damp_ tie.

"Well, I better ...leave" Stiles turns on his heels but Peter is blocking the door.

"Mr. Stilinski, " Peter calls and Stiles gives him his total (possible) attention. "Would you like to work for Hale corporation, as one of the chair holder's personal assistance?"

Stiles's could feel his face forming that grim that Scott dislikes, but Stiles' brain put one (accidentally offensive interview) and one (a single father that can't take a day off -?-) together and he got an answer he doesn't like.

"Really?" Stiles asks and he turns to see the baby being carried by her father. "May I ask what would I be doing?"

Peter laughs softly and mockingly.

"Aren't you sharp?"

"I'm a lawyer!" Stiles states, once his suspicion was confirmed "I'm sorry," He turns to see the pretty man and his daughter, before facing again Peter "but I did not study for so long to become a babysitter."

"Such strong principals, they must be helping you live very cozy!" Peter attacks and Stiles looks at the ground. He has been a freeloader on his best friend's apartment for almost a year. And he promised Scott, he promised everyone, that he would 'multiply' the borrowed as soon as he graduated. Now, almost four months out of school, and nothing but close doors on his not-quite-what-we-are-looking-for face. Stiles' brain screams to take the job, and Stiles' heart says to switch the tables.

"I have conditions!" Peter is surprised of how fast Stiles went from 'not my job' to 'this is what I want.'

"Oh, really?" Peter says, "Mr. Stilinski, I think you have misunderstood -this is not the kind of offer _you_ put conditions to."

Peter seems very confident, but Stiles had seen the facts. Werewolf babies tend to be babysat by werewolf nannies, it's easier to explain the little supernatural tidbits, and any baby is normally babysat by someone with experience. This men are obviously rich enough to pay any agency of their choosing, and/or daycare. But they don't, which means is not an option. Instead they are trying to hire a man that they just meet to take care of the little girl...not good parenting to hire an stranger but it must be that they are really desperate.

Stiles looks at the father, a very handsome man with strong features, his hair messy from pulling early in desperation, his pink lips whispering soft nothingness on the baby's hair, and he has dark circles under his dark circles under his gray-green eyes.

"I'll write the contract, and we'll review it together during the next week. Then I'll agree and start working." Stiles enjoys to see the man break his expression for a second, but the man responds calmly.

"You will start immediately, this week -while you write the contract- it would also be a trial period for you. Next week we'll have enough information to decide if it is worth hiring you."

Peter looks at the Stiles, the young man appears to be sharper by every new sentence he forms, and is getting on Peter's nerves.

Stiles offers his hand out, to seal their conversation with a handshake, the man looks at the offending hand and turns to speak to his nephew.

"Take the day off to show him what he needs to know." Peter says last and leaves the office.

Stiles turns to see the father who looks like he wants to say something, but instead he just stays silence.


	4. Within A Week's Time

**Within A Week's Time**

"I'm Stiles, by the way." He says and gives a cautionary smile.

"Derek Hale, and this is Arty." Derek says as he walks away, he signs Stiles to follow him.

They walk out of the office, walk into the elevator, go to the first floor, walk out of the building, secure Arty in her baby chair, and drive away.

"Okay…" Stiles says as he turns front the co-pilot chair to look at Arty fighting with her double cross seatbelt.

"Are you talking again at some point?"

"How much experience do you have with werewolfs babies?"

"What a funny question." Stiles tries to make a natural sounding laugh, but Derek gives him a stare that could kill assassins. "We are talking about my daughter."

Almost on cue Arty starts to cry, Stiles tries to distract her but he is badly failing.

After that they listen to Arty cry until the car parks (though she continued to cry, but not wholeheartedly as she was moments ago).

Stiles looks at the shiny building in front of him open mouthed.

"Are you sick?"

Stiles turns surprise by the question,

"ah..?"

" .Sick?" Stiles isn't sick, and he is sure he has done nothing to make the other man believe so…

"You smell like...chemicals, is it medicine?" Derek eyebrows frown at the other possibilities.

"Oh, no. I mean, yes. Yes it's medicine, but no I'm not sick. It just helps me concentrate." Stiles finishes a bit embarrassed, but his answer seems to do the opposite of appeasing the werewolf.

"You had troubles keeping focus..?" Stiles looks at the baby, Arty who is pulling her fathers tie, and he understands that is the worst quality that a babysitter could have.

"No! I mean when I don't take my dose I get a little extra active, but nothing to worry about-as you say, 'I smell like medicine.' I take it, and know my stuff"

Derek doesn't seem convinced, but he walks away and Stiles follows.

Derek is trying not to freak out, or at least stop torturing himself by thinking that he is so desperate to just hire such an unqualified person to look over his baby, -he is so not fit to be a parent, maybe he should had allow Arty to stay with his mother…- He hears Stiles sigh. This cannot be a good idea.

"Wow!" Stiles says as he walks through the door of Derek's apartment. The place looks like one of those rich single generic apartment that you see at the movies but also like someone had a mismatch baby shower that exploded. Yes, that is exactly how the apartment looks like.

The werewolf suddenly aware of how messy his place is, he walks away embarrassed. Arty doesn't care about the mess, but her little mind recognizes where she is being carry to and the growing rambling on her belly. She calls for her food on her well practiced baby vocals. Stiles follows avoiding a little baby tent, (translucide walls and puffy orange-white-polka-dot pillow) and another little baby tent (blue version this time).

"Omg." Stiles exclaims as he sees the kitchen, if he didn't know better he would think Derek was running a daycare by the full -full sink! - with baby bottles. The man in question gets a new one from the cabinet (with more baby stuff in it). Derek's cheeks were getting redder as Stiles keeps softly exclaiming.

Stiles sees Arty stretching her small arms towards him, and Stiles picks her up from the fuschia cat chair she was sitting on. He walks around with her, until Derek takes her away to feed her.

"She likes you." Derek says softly.

"I like her too" Stiles smiles, and for a moment Derek seems to relax. Derek doesn't mention how she cries on her grandmother's arms (and her Alpha's) but somehow she doesn't even seem to care being carried by a stranger, instead he asks Stiles if he could watch Arty for a couple hours.

It is a sudden and irresponsible request, but if Derek doesn't get sleep soon he might just collapse.

"Sure...yes, of course, that's what I'm here for!"

"I'll be on the other room resting." Derek hasn't step away when he turns to Stiles.

"Makes sure to get ...all the gas out. Then she'll want to crawl around, let her." Stiles nods and starts positioning Arty for her pats on her back.

"If she feels like sleeping let her too, but stay with her -she wakes up a lot."

"Okay."

"She is very picky where she sleeps, so you might need to look for the bed she wants."

Stiles just listens until Derek finally makes it into his room.

Arty crawls through the whole living room, almost climbed the leather sofa, chewed on a teddybear, and finally falls asleep on a big purple pillow that was under the living room table. As Derek warned him, she would only sleep for 5, 15, 30 or 45 minutes before waking up and searching for her dad (a blue wolf that Stiles found under the sofa was a great replacement).

She was the second baby who he knows about who would sleep in the same specific time patterns. The first one was Stiles himself, or that's what his dad had told him.

Stiles himself was very sleepy.

...

Stiles wakes up at the sharp noise of Arty's cries. He sits up immediately as his brain tries to remind him of the last events that had occurred within his interview day.

Breakfast, medication, preparation, dress-up, 'wow, big fancy place,' interview, huge mess-up, crying baby, hot dad, scary businessman, hot werewolf-dad, car, grumpy hot werewolf dad, apartment-baby-explosion, baby.

"Okay…" Stiles whispers as he picks up Arty.

"It took you sometime." Werewolf hot dad speaks. Stiles might had expressed on ways a person shouldn't infront of babies, but Arty won't remember.

Derek lifts an eyebrow.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Pick her up. It took you some time." Derek answers.

"How long had I been working at this...three hours...are we counting the time I slept and the drive here?" Stiles sprouts as he bounces the baby on his arms.

"This is for you." Derek hands Stiles a pastel yellow folder. It contains a schedule, rules, a list of books, a list of parks and more.

"Go home, get ready for tomorrow."

…

Scott laughs through all of Stiles' story.

Stiles researches all he could about freaking werewolf babies.

…

Day 2

Derek seems satisfied that he show up in time the next day (seven a-clock), but the father stay around until he was late for work.

Taking care of a baby is hard, they should have had teach how in his University. Since they didn't teach him how to get a job as a lawyer!

Day 3

"Have you… taken her to a doctor?" Stiles whisper-asks Derek as he holds Arty, who is sleeping on his arms. Derek didn't need any further explanation, he knew Stiles was referring about her crying.

It was the second day and Stiles was already thinking of quitting...just like the other useless human sitters.

Derek stands from his desk, and ignores the work papers falling on the floor.

"You think I haven't?" Stiles steps back.

"No… I just ...was worried that s-she might be on pain."

"She is not"

Day 4

Stiles is scared of Derek, and Derek is being unnecessarily overprotective of his territory. But, it might have to be because of his Alpha wants to meet the human babysitter that is being hired through the company. Which is understandable...

Day 5

Stiles has decided that Arty likes crying. Maybe that is not the right way of phrasing it, but she is not on pain and at least that she is annoyed by everything on a random evil basis ...she just cries just to cry. So, in an act of solarity Stiles mumbles and screams with her. Arty seems to like it because she laughs when Stiles does it. But Derek saw them and Stiles is not sure how to explain it.

Day 6

Stiles cleaned all the whole apartment, because is Saturday and tomorrow is Stiles' day off. So, well deserved day off. Stiles leaves at eight, 30 minutes after his bye-I'm-free-bye hour.

"This place better be just as clean when I come back!"

Sunday

Stiles is gone. Derek can literally feel Stiles' bright energy missing, and his scent weakening through the apartment. A deep instinct on him tells him to find Stiles, but Derek knows that is just Stiles' day off. Tomorrow they, Stiles, Derek and Arty, will submit Stiles' contract to Peter. The contract would be approved, Stiles could ask for a yacht in the shape of an elephant and the contract would be approved. The human has become in so little time essential for Derek -and the balance of Arty, work and sanity.

Stiles is gone, but it's just for today. Yet, nothing on the apartment can explain Arty that.

Derek had never seen his baby thrown such an incredible tantrum. Artemis screams, with her almost mighty tiny lungs, and all the words (parts of words) she knows. She reaches pitches so high that not only shouldn't be possible for a baby, but that are impossible for humans or werewolves to create. She claws covers, pillows, bed sheets, toys, her father, and anything on the reach of her tiny baby extra sharp claws. Arty decided not to sleep, and see for how long could she scream.

The sunrise came, and Arty could only sob with her tired throat. Derek holds her and kisses her forehead, feeling too tired, too heartbroken and unsure of what to do. Only two things were clear. He would be a soft dad, most likely. And, Stiles cannot have another free day.

At the moment it seems like the only sensible solution.


	5. Daydreaming and sleepwalking

**Daydreaming and sleepwalking**

"Wait. What?" Stiles might not have super hearing, but he could carry a conversation.

"You must be available 24/7" Peter repeat for him, and Stiles is sure he _hum_ at the end of that sentence.

"What!?" Stiles tightens his fists around the contract he had been writing at night every night since he got the assignment.

"Would you like me to write it down?" Peter tilts his head, a pen on his hand and the other hand reaching for Stiles' contract. Stiles was about to say something that might had been wrong when it comes to etiquette between higher rank ssh*les werewolfs, but Derek interrupts.

"I need you to move in." It wasn't an order, at least not yet, and it was not say with a superior tone. Actually, Stiles could almost be certain -but not really- that Derek was ready to beg for it. It was something on his face...not just the 'I pull an all nighter' look.

"Why?"

"Arty missed you." Derek says sincerely, and he looks down on Arty who sleeps heavily on his arms. She hasn't woken up even once during the whole discussion.

"She fell asleep as soon as she saw you. I think she was worried that she won't see you again, and when she actually saw you...she was too tired."

Stiles looks at Arty's extra puffy cheeks and red nose. Then Stile knew two things for certain. When he gets old and creates a cutesy little living noise machine too, he would super spoiled them. And that what Derek was asking can't be a good thing for Stiles, and it should be something to at least be analyze and modify until a compromise could be reach.

" **Fine"**

Stiles tone was far from businesslike, but either men seem to care as he carefully took Arty from Derek's arms. Arty wakes up for a moment, but she just bite Stiles' tie and returns to dreamland.

"But sections of this contract," Stiles wiggles the hand that holds the contract "are going to change drastically!"

"We should postpone today's meeting. How next week sound to you?" Peter says smirking so widely that Stiles was about to ask if he had been surgically enhanced to be a such a mor!n.

"mmm" was the best non-offensive response Stiles' brain could come up with, and he rushes to the door.

"I should thank you in advance." Stiles calls from the door as he readies to exit. "For paying my student debt, and all." Stiles wiggles the contract one more time.

Derek shouldn't be driving, and Derek really shouldn't be driving to Stiles (well, Scott's really) aparment. But Derek wants Stiles to start immediately ...like yesterday. Stiles turns to see the three nice cars following them and the four not-so-nice-poor cars from Uber drivers.

"So, when you said 'move in immediately,' you really meant … immediately." Derek didn't react.

"The place is a mess, and I live with someone so don't take his stuff- S#!T. I haven't told Scott that I'm moving … Today!" Stiles turns to Derek for some mutual freak out, a solution or anything but the man was saving his attention for the road.

"AH! I have to call Scott!" Stiles fishes his phone out and mumbles about how terrible friend he is. The almost random soft whisper of words coming from Stiles sounds soothing to the sleepy werewolfs (thought one of them was already sleep), maybe Derek and Arty would take a nap on Stiles' bed.

"Answer. Answer. Scott, Answer! Come on Scotty answer the phone. I need you to answer the phone. Okay. This is not longer my fault. If you don't answer this phone call then is all your fault that you didn't know that I'm mo -Hi. Hi, hey Scott. What are you calling for?"

The other voice in the phone hesitantly answer.

"Stiles you call me...Are you okay? how did the meeting went?" Scott sounds worry through the phone, and actually he is because he is a softly bestie.

"I got the job!" Stiles says as happily as possible.

"Are you in a car? Who is that?" Scott asks, his heightened senses can hear a second if not a third heartbeat.

"Scott! Who knew you were this good. I guess that is how you got your job on the first place."

"Thanks!" Stiles knew his friend was smiling on the other line.

"No, Scott. Really, you had done so good and you had been such a great guy/son/friend/brother/werewolf/worker. I'm, like, so proud" Scott's smile widen.

"You should reward yourself. Do you remember that old retro video game machine from the 'Pixiliums' place? The one you ask me if we could get? and when I told you that there wasn't enough space on the apartment -with me living there and everything- you eat like two whole pounds of ice cream? Do you remember? Well, I think you should get it."

"REALLY?"

"Really"

"Yes. Yes. But where -"

"On my old room."

"What?"

"Oh, yeah. Didn't I told you? I think I did? Don't you remember I'm moving out?"

"What?! Wait. When?"

"When what?" Stiles asks in mock calmness.

"When did we talk about this and when are you moving?"

"Like right now, and right now."

"Stilessss!"

"I'm sorry. Listen; I'm very sorry but it just happened."

" _How_ can just happen?" Scott seems as distress as Stiles thought he would be.

"Thank you. You always help me and never throw it on my face. They offered me a job and the conditions are ...they are a lot." Stiles side glances Derek who looks slightly guilty (maybe).

"I have to move in."

"Are you okay with that?" Stiles stops to actually consider that question. He had been thinking of poor Arty who stayed the night crying and Derek who seem so desperate.

"Yeah." Stiles says softly. "I'm actually okay with it. I kinda want to."

"Then, that's it." Scott says "But you will visit."  
"Of course. So, you are not mad?"

"Oh, I am. But we will deal with that later."

"Thanks man" Stiles.

It took a couple more minutes of driving to get to Stiles' (actually Scott's) place.

Stiles and Derek got Arty set on her peach theme baby sit. Arty was lazily complaining as Stiles sooth her back to sleep. A blonde woman on a expensive looking black suit approche them, Stiles heard Derek referring to her as Erica when he was giving her the instructions of how to get to Stiles' apartment.

"Look at that" She whispers and moves to sneak a look of Arty sleeping self. "Did you put pills on her milk or something?" She jokes.

"That would be a wrong move." A deep voice advices. It came from another hot person in a suit. A tall -really tall- black guy, Stiles isn't sure if he is joking or not.

"How did you do it?" Another wild expensive suit appears. The three surround Stiles and the baby, but Derek pushes them aside. Warning them that if they don't behave they might upset Arty. Four more people appear, Stiles guesses they are the Uber drivers (two teens, a man on his forties and a woman on her thirties).

"I didn't know you guys did movings"

"We don't" A guy answer. "But he is paying" He cocks his head on Derek's direction.

They follow Stiles on a bee line up the stairs to the second floor. When the brown door with the stickers opens, Derek thinks that he should had been prepare. He knew that Stiles lives with another person, a werewolf, so it was logical to guess that the place will smell like other's wolf territory. Derek knew from the phone call he eavesdropped that Scott sounded like a nice guy -no, a great guy. But Derek's wolf could not care less about what-you-call-it-ah-logic. Stiles scent was buried, trap, mark with an other's. The wolf demands for nothing less than Stiles 100% loyalty and love to give to his little pup. However, Derek knew better, he breath in the air, felt his instincts raising and then he control himself.

Arty's little mind could not get all that was happening, but she knew enough and she didn't like it. She starts to warn her guardians by making noise and moving as much as her cloths and the seat belt would allow her.

"Oh, no! Did we wake you up?" Stiles sooths Arty.

"She doesn't like this place." Derek says as matter-of-fact.

"What is wrong with this place?" Stiles tries to sound offended, even though he has already guess -it must be the scent of another werewolf. Derek doesn't answer.

Stiles had fill two cars with his cloths, books, pictures, souvenirs (which might look like toys to other people) and in Derek's car he had sent a box with his computer and other delicates. Well, Stiles hasn't done much besides point and tell others what to do, no that he is complaining -just not used to it. Arty keeps switching between Derek and Stiles, and there is not much to do than indulge her.

"So, which ones are yours?" The curly haired man asks as he points to the open cabinet exposing dishes.

"What?"

"Are you taking any?" The curly haired man sighs like he is tired of the conversation.

"Leave that. I can come back later -"

"No" Derek enters the kitchen, Arty tries to slip from Stiles' arms to Derek's.

"What do you mean 'no?'" Stiles eyes Derek as the man retrieves his daughter.

"We are making one trip only." Derek explain. "Take everything that's yours."

Stiles tried to explain Derek why when two people share an apartment (and all the stuff in it) it is pretty difficult, and rude, to sort out what belongs to who without the other person to discuss it.

"Call him." Stiles pouts but he calls Scott.

The call was long and rocky, but Scott found it too funny to be really mad.

"NO! you lost your charger." Stiles tries to keep his calm to avoid upsetting Arty but is not working too well.

"I wrote my initials on it! Stiles"

"Yes, on my charger!"

"ARRR!"

"Scott! What do you mean you don't know where my Gotham T-shirt is? You beg me to let you borrowed it?"

"Is on the left drawer of the little table in the kitchen."

"There is no table in the kitchen. SCOTT"

"No, you keep the red cup and I keep the red spoon!"

"I won that cup!"

"Only because I help you, and I want the little red spoon."

"ARRRR"

"Now, Arty is crying."

By the time everything made it to Derek's place, Stiles was beat. Nothing was put away. Stiles walks to the spare room that is still full with baby stuff, but now is Stiles' bedroom. He falls asleep in record time. Derek 'shoo's Arty as he lowers her next to Stiles. She curls next to the human and follows him to dreamland. Derek stays there; feeling strangely content but out of place, happy to see his baby and a man he has grown to like sleeping safely on his territory but the scent from the other wolf still lingers on Stiles… Derek would like to rest next to Arty and Stiles, reclaim them as his, but he has no permission. So, instead he sits on the floor and counts seconds until his eyelids become too heavy.

 _Stiles opens his eyes wide and clenches his chest, his ribcage hurts like his heart had been replace by a wild drum and it's breaking it's way out of Stiles' chest. The feeling is not unknown for the human, but it is different. Stiles had experience enough panic attacks to know that something is wrong. He is thinking too clearly...frantically the man moves out of the bed. That's when Stiles notice that the place was empty. No empty, there was furniture and decorations. But no baby stuff, his cloths, no Derek or Arty…_

 _Stiles runs out of the room, and he immediately regrets his decision. The house is too bright, too colorful, too symmetrical and simply wrong. The whole house has been clean up and it felt strangely empty. Stiles tries to scream for help, but his voice is distorted into noise._

 _This is a nightmare, but is not his nightmare._

 _Stiles remembers his own… or he thinks he does. He remembers crying because he was trap in a house that was not his and regardless of what he did he couldn't get out. But then his mom came and carrying him out._

 _Stiles walks to the only close door in the house, actually the only door...the one he came from dissapeared. He tries to open the door but is lock._


	6. Playing House

**Playing House**

 _Is hard to breath._

Stiles opens his eyes and breathes air in like his lungs were failing when he was asleep. A pair of gray-green eyes stare at him. Stiles doesn't even asks why is Derek sleeping on the floor next to his bed (again), he whispers an 'okay' and turns to find a pair of brown-green eyes staring at him.

"You too?" Stiles says as brings Arty for a hug. Derek stands and takes in the scene. Arty stretches her legs and Stiles kisses her head. He had the same nightmare again. Stiles has concluded that it is Arty's nightmare -it must be some type of magic creature thing from the mother side. Stiles thinks that Arty doesn't understand or doesn't see the dream as a nightmare, but eventually she will notice that is not her house. Maybe that's why she likes him, both had the same dream.

"Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I had half hour." Stiles turns to look to Derek and shamelessly checks him out.

"Is it pajama day?"

"I might be a little late." Stiles makes his judgy face.

"I have no hurry." Derek says and sits next to Stiles, Arty crawls on her father's lap.

"aja" Stiles says, and Derek has the urge to touch him. Any type of touch, as long as he could touch him.

"My sister is coming today to the company." Derek bursts out.

"I thought you like your sister." Stiles tilts his head as he remembers Laura coming by a couple times.

"My other sister."

"Oh" Stiles hasn't meet Cora, but he has heard enough. She sounds cool, but also not baby appropriate.

"Do they really need you?" Stiles asks, Derek turns wide eyed knowing where was their conversation going.

"Like, their world would suddenly set on fire if you ...are not there?"

"Stiles-"

"If they don't need you terribly bad, then you could stay. We could go to the park. You had been whining for the whole two months that I had been here how much you miss running." Derek's face hasn't changed but Stiles knew he was inches from sealing the deal.

"I could make a picnic!" Stiles exclaims "and we can take a bunch of pictures of Arty. Oh, and I could help you with whatever paper you need reviewing. Wait, now that we are talking about papers and reviewing. Did the Argent sent a message, I thought that they were in the 'protect humans by killing bad-bad monster' so what do they want with Hale corporations? No that I was going through your stuff, but if you need help with that."

"A picnic sounds nice." Derek says as he picks up Arty, and leaves the room.

Stiles holds the picnic backpack (since there was no bastket) tightly against his chest, but Derek keeps trying to sneak a snack. Once they reach the park, Stiles and Arty leave to find a good spot, while Derek goes running. The day was nice and after finding a nice place under a tree, Stiles frees Arty from the cherry printed baby carrier, and she screams of joy. Lately she has been screaming instead of crying, which is somehow even more annoying.

Derek comes back after an hour and a half of running. Stiles had already started the picnic, and Arty keeps playing with her little red spoon instead of trying to eat her carrot pure. Stiles offers Derek a towel. They eat, took a group nap (even against Stiles' protests because 'eww, you two are sweaty.') and returned home before the sunset.

Stiles carries Arty inside the house, and before he could put her down the house phone rings.

"So, people actually use those" Stiles mumbles before picking up the phone.

"Hello, Hale residency. Stiles speaking."

"Mr. Stilinski, what a pleasing surprise." A woman's voice answers, she sounds sincere but it is still something villains say to clueless heroes (or sidekicks) on movies.

"Yeah. It's a pleasing surprise because? and on your way to answer that who are you lady?"

"Stiles!" Stiles turns to see Derek who takes the phone from him.

"Mom, why are you calling?" Derek talks into the phone.

"Manners Derek. And I'm calling of course to ask when would be a good time to visit you and Arty, also I would love to meet Stiles, isn't?"

"Sorry. Busy, but Arty's birthday is coming in only six months." Derek pushes Stiles who is trying to eavesdrop on his phone call.

"Really, because I have some business near by. So, I thought of visiting you next week."

"No, I'm busy. Too busy next week mother."

"I think I'm going to visit you next friday."

"MOM!"

"I going to meet him sooner or later, and I gave you enough time to face it baby."

"Mom, you are going to ask questions and be super picky about everything -remember what happe-"

"Well, I better leave, since you are _so_ busy and all. Bye"

"Mom, don't -" Derek sighs and turns to inform Stiles who is glue to Derek's back. "She hang up."

"So, she is coming?" Derek only groans.

"And is it that bad? I mean, she want to see her granddaughter. Understandable." Derek groans again.

"mmm, you do present your argument really well." Derek growls and moves to collapse on the sofa.

"What is the big deal? I won't judge." Stiles kneels next to Derek.

"I know you won't, but …"

"Oh!" Stiles' brain wants to slap Stiles. He is the son who got the first baby without the sacred ring, and the mother is not in sight.

"I think she thinks I mess up." Derek says after some time.

"Parents always think that." Stiles knew that was weak but… "Do you think you mess up?"

The long pause was eating Stiles, he searches for Arty who is climbing a pillow, and then Stiles understands that Derek is not going to answer.

"Are you happy?" Stiles asks softly. Derek turns to see Stiles. The breathing of the

human is fast and hollow, like Derek's answer could somehow determined the human's happiness.

"Yes" Derek answers slowly, but if he is honest with himself ...he doesn't remember a time he had been happier with his life. Stiles smiles wide.

"Then the rest is workable." Stiles stands and starts looking around. "Now, we need to clean. This place is gonna look so perfect -oh, and I gonna make my mother's persley dream lasagna recipe" Stiles lets a tiny sigh like he always do when he mentions his mother. "Oh, we are gonna need new books, and a special pretty party dress."

"She hates being dress" Derek points to Arty who is sleeping on top of a pillow.

"Special occasion! F&% I need to do like two, a minimum of two baby scrapbooks. One for 'all the firsts' and another for cute moments. We need a new camera." Stiles continues to ramble as he moves across the room looking for a pen and paper. Derek wants to say something, to say how much he appreciates all Stiles does.

Stiles enters Derek's office, for sure he can find a small notebook to use for his to-do list.

T _hat was what it was on his mind, but his breath was caught on… on something._

 _Stiles tries to knock anything down, anything that could alert the werewolf on the other room that_ _ **he can't breath**_ _. But the office was empty. Stiles turns to see that the house is once again not the house, too bright, too heavy… too fake. The human tries to not freak out -to not waste his last breath, but he was awake. The thing about nightmares, they can only get you when you are sleep, unless they are not nightmares… Stiles runs out into the living room, Derek and Arty are missing. He turns to Derek's room, and he twists the doorknob. The door opens and it swallows everything, it sucks it all in like a neverending void._

"Stiles!" Derek screams on top of his lungs. Arty is crying. Stiles stands on the middle of Derek's office, tears of papers in the floor, a mustard yellow envelope half rip by Stiles hands, a broken window and a missing laptop.

"Stiles?" Derek's face was red, like he had been screaming longer than Stiles had been listening. "What are you doing?"

"I- I- I" Stiles looks to the damage that -that- that he must had caused.

A doorbell rings. Derek picks up Arty and goes to the door. Stiles breathes again, the air was heavy and hot. He hears a woman's voice, and Stiles runs to his room. He can't let Derek's mother see him like this. He doesn't know when, how or why he trashed Derek's office. Stiles barely closes his bedroom door when the familiar feeling of a balloon growing inside his chest, stopping his lungs, clenching his heart and breaking his ribs. He knew, it was all in his head that is how panics attacks work, but his brain could not distinguish real from make believe pain.

Stiles calls Scott, who answers at the second ring. It takes a moment for Scott to understand what is happening. The werewolf makes sure to speak calm and slowly. He softly remind Stiles that they should concentrate in now because whatever happen it already happen, he asks Stiles to count with him, and sooths his friend. When Stiles can breath enough to speak, Scott refrains from asking questions -he only answers Stiles and assures him that everything will be okay.

Stiles had avoid a panic attack, but he didn't want to tell Scott what happened and he would tell his friend if he talks to him -So, Stiles excuses himself (Scott knows better than to pressure a person who was just at the edge of a panic attack).

"Stiles" Derek asks softly, and Stiles jumps away.

"What the F$# !" Stiles looks at Derek, his furry brows knot together on a worry expression.

"Derek!" The human turns to see his door, it is close. At some point Derek left his mother, came inside Stiles' room and close the door.

"How long has it been?" Stiles need it to know if there was a possibility that Derek's mom had left already.

"No more than ten minutes." Derek says once again uncharacteristically softly.

"I'm sorry." Stiles says when he notice he doesn't has much to said,. The younger man fights the weird feeling that he really mess up. That Derek's mom is going to hate him and consider him unfit to take care of Arty, Derek will hate him for destroying his office, and that he won't be able to help Arty with her nightmare -or maybe all of it is on his head, maybe ...maybe he is having a mental breakdown…

"Stiles" Derek calls "Are you okay?" To that Stiles can't help but snore.

"Peachy" Derek looks down and mumbles something, it was the first time Stiles had seen the werewolf mumbling. It made him feel better, because it means that Derek cares -so maybe he would try to understand.

"Is your mom still there?" Stiles asks while looking at the door. He did something … problematic. so, damage control -he isn't going get fired just because he _misbehave_. Oh, he would give them a lawsuit if they dare.

"My mom wasn't here. It is my sister, Cora, but I'll kick her out."

"No." Stiles pauses "I will. I don't want her telling everyone in your family that I have lost my marbles or that I enjoy overdramatic self plays. I want her to see that I'm fine." Stiles stands and starts a few breathing exercises before reaching for the door.

"But… are you fine? If I have over work you or -or you medicine if not making the … desire effect? Please, tell me." Stiles make sure not to look at Derek, he can't blame Derek for thinking that maybe mess up chemicals on his brain caused his ..outburst. However, they _didn't_. As any other similar condition, they don't work like that, there are patterns, triggers, and a level of consciousness through most actions (especially when correctly medicated). Stiles can be fine and had an off/odd day it happens, but he would be fine and trash a room with no recollection of the memory? No!

"And my sister wouldn't tell anyone." Stiles turns to face Derek, even though he still pretty embarrassed about everything.

"I have been a little tired, but I… I don't think… I don't know" Stiles would like to say that it is something else, but doesn't know what or has any proof to sustain that claim.

"And she will tell. If you see a babysitter acting like Macbeth, you had to tell someone." Before Derek could say something else Stiles is leaving the room.

A woman on her twenties holds Arty (no giving enough support for her head but it was not the time to correct the baby's relatives how they should hold baby). She seem uncomfortable and nervous, and so did Arty who was mumbling and biting her fingers.

"Do you need some water?" Cora offers one of the seven water glasses on the table. Stiles gave a questioning look at the many water glasses, which he guesses were served by Cora. He remember that Derek is a werewolf and that would make Cora a werewolf, which means he could hear him through the door. It could easily be the first time she hears a human on such a state. For some reason Stiles felt ashamed, like he had any choosing of what happen. He picks up two glasses.

"Thank you." Stiles says with a big smile, and he offers the other to Derek.

"Are you okay?" Cora burst out.

"uh?" Stiles act dumb for a minute. "Oh, that" He point to his bedroom door.

"Could you hear me? Sorry, if it was ...you know. But yes, yes I'm fine." Stiles knows that werewolf can tell a lie so he makes sure to walk around it. He _is_ fine, but something around him isn't. Cora made her visit short, saying that Stiles would most likely want to rest a bit. She scolds her brother for over working Stiles. The human agreed with her on the most dramatic way possible.

Stiles tries to run to his room as soon as Cora leaves, but Derek and his super velocity and others werewolf-ly advances. He tells Stiles that no information had been lost from his office, the laptop is easily replaced, he never like that window, and to please take a day off -go see a doctor- and then come back to Derek and Arty.

AN: can someone give me a review please? I'm not sure what I'm doing and this the longest fic I had try to write


	7. No Take Backs, No Redo's

Stiles is on one of his favorite place in the whole world, but he couldn't feel worse. Normally a trip to the ' _Nemo Liber_ ' the underground library and swap market cheer him up, but he hadn't slept at all last night or the night before-not wanting to risk having a nightmare and go terminator on Derek's kitchen-. Also, he is suppose to be seeing a doctor. Or at least that is what Derek thinks he is doing. Is not the first time that Stiles had told a person he cares about that he is seeing a doctor when he is not. Stiles still remember his father's face when he discover that his son had not been attending the monthly consults

and medical checks that his new meds required. He tried to explain that he was doing the self-checks himself, that the medication was working just fine, and that he was able to save the money for a rainy day. Even when his dad accepted the money back, he didn't completely forgive Stiles. He would like to said that he doesn't understands why it was so important for his father that he went to the doctor, but he does. Stiles knows his medicine is working. And with all the supernatural happening, there is no reason to not wonder if maybe that is what is going on with him. But lying makes Stiles feel so guilty.

The place is illuminated by floating lights, it smell like old paper and firewood, and it holds the second largest collection of supernatural information.

Seven books sit on Stiles tables and one on the mortal's hands, he had spend hours picking them and they offered a high possibility of aiding him.

His whole free day was use for research, and his findings were more than satisfactory by being the outcome of one day but not enough to be an actual answer. Stiles had ruled out; shadow demon, oracle or prophet, elf (not even ⅕ or whatever it was need it for magical abilities,) part-angel, mermen, nymph, and many others.

However, there one possible option already; a dream-walker, most dream-walkers are Native Americans, since to had an 'astral projection' outside of the body to a higher plane _and_ control it, it needs training -which many tribes had practice for longer than this nation has existed. But sometimes a random person has an out of body experience, this people normally freak out and wake up. Which means it is possible, Stiles could be dream-walking and he is just terrible at it … but then how would Arty be connect it to all that. Arty is connect it, Stiles knows that much -he just doesn't know how yet.

It was passed nine when Stiles returned to Derek's apartment.

"What is on the bag?" Stiles jumps and sees Derek sitting on the sofa, a close book in his lap.

"Hi! Yes, I had a great day. I think a free day was all a need it. Thanks for asking, and what about you? anything interesting happened today?" Stiles peals his jacket off and walks to the sofa. "No, thank you. I'm not hungry, I ate outside. But thanks for asking." Stiles stops when a pillow hits his face, he takes the offending pillow and returns it to Derek on the same aggressive manner. "Oh, and thank you for listening to your friend without doing something rude like throwing pillows to me when I'm obviously not done talking." Derek growls in frustration, and finds that Stiles is staring at him.

"What is on the bag?"

"Seriously Derek!" Stiles opens the paper bags, and shows some books, a few little onesies for Arty, some candies and charms. "Stuff, I went shopping!" Derek examines the content of each bag.

"Did you got anything from the doctor?"

"No. Nope. I went over one of those self-checks and everything is working. Because it was a one time type of outburst it could be that I must had eaten something that interact badly with my medicine." Stiles double checks to make sure none of what he was saying was a lie. "So, here it goes to process of elimination and of the food I had that day. But, I'm fine." Derek stay quite for sometime.

"Is that all?" Stiles asks really hoping that Derek won't push too much.

"Yes. I have to wake up early tomorrow, I'm heading to bed."

"Can I see Arty?" Stiles says happy that 'that' conversation ended. Derek nods and Stiles follows the werewolf into Derek's room. Arty is sleeping on the middle of the bed. Stiles caress her unruly brown hair, and then she start sniffing like a puppy.

"Aww, so cute ...and unusual?" Stiles turns to Derek silently asking if that is normal, if she is okay.

"She is recognizing your scent." Derek looks at the man that his daughter thinks is her mother (or second father). And the werewolf smiles; 'Arty has good taste.'

"She thinks you're pack." Stiles tenses for a moment. Scott had explained Stiles what pack means, and he knows that pack is for life and life is for the pack. He is Arty's pack, and maybe he had react a bit inappropriate in front of a baby and a tap emotional, but Arty won't remember it when she grows up.

"She has good taste." Stiles says as he curls with Arty on Derek's bed. He was tired. He hadn't have any sleep in forty-eight hours, he had use all his energy between old books and charms, and he is emotionally and psychologically exhausted.

Stiles falls asleep, and Derek didn't want to wake him up. Instead Derek covers Stiles with a blanket and he takes the other half of the bed.

 _Stiles opens his eyes slowly, he is on his bed and he doesn't remember how he got there -maybe Derek carried him. The human blushes at the mental image, and he gets out of bed. He notice that the furniture of room was taller than what it actually is, the dresser's top is touching the ceiling. He is not in the house again, but he can breath … maybe because he is conscious that this is dream-walking?_

 _Stiles moves to the living room, and keeps walking towards Derek's bedroom. After considering what happen last time he opened the door, he should avoid it -but if this has anything to do with Arty..._

 _The door swings opens with a small push. The room, like all the others, is too bright and fill with too much color. The bed is the biggest piece of furniture, Derek lies there asleep, and Arty is next to him wide awake. Stiles lays next to them._

" _Hey" Stiles says softly and that gets Arty's full attention._

" _Are you dreaming, Arty?" Stiles says, and for some reason Arty must think is funny because she is laughing._

" _Mmm, so you think is funny?" Stiles says and he moves close to kiss her forehead._

" _We are ...are we in you mind or imagination or whatever?" Arty must had think the question was very boring because she turns and starts playing with Derek's face._

" _Okay. But why am I here?" Stiles asks the baby but she was suddenly distract it by the shaking of the room. The door was shaking and Stiles could see the knob moving, someone -or something- was hammering the door and screaming a distorted ugly cry._ _ **Arty started screaming.**_

Both men wake up by the sharp screams from Arty. Derek moves to comfort his pup, and Stiles brain tries to catch up with everything that is happening. Arty is having nightmares, weird supernatural nightmares, and Stiles is the only one who can be with her ...there -whatever 'there' is.

"I'm sorry" Derek says.

"Why? I mean, isn't that her favorite way to start the day?" Stiles says nervous.

"I don't mean…" Derek blushes "Doesn't this," the werewolf stops to point to the bedroom, and to themselves "makes you uncomfortable?"

"No" Stiles responses without thinking "I like it" When he is thinking again, he will hide from Derek.

Before Derek could ask Stiles what that means, there is a knock in the door and Derek freezes. Stiles instinctively reaches for Arty who is now calm and trying to squeeze out of Stiles grip.

"I'm sorry" Derek says as he leaves to open the door.

At the door frame, Talia hugs her grumpy son as soon as she sees him.

"Oh, it had been so long!"

"Is not even friday, mom."

"Oh, I couldn't wait!" Talia smiles, she could smell a soft scent of human but she decided that she could postpone annoying her son a little longer. "And, I fear that you might had decided to go out on friday."

"I would never do that" Derek groans.

"I know" She answers softly, she hears movement on her son's room -she was about to scold her son about leaving the baby unattended, but a young man walks out. He is pretty, dress in street clothes but obviously he had slept on them, he carries Arty who is miraculously quiet, and she can smell him from the door; He smell like puppies, milk, age?, medicine, Derek and Arty.

"And you must be Stiles?" Derek turns to see Stiles standing with Arty on the doorframe of her son's bedroom, Derek felt like his face was about to catch on fire -his mother knew that they slept together.

"Hi. Yes." Stiles face was red. "Oh, no. Arty, you need to get dress." Stiles says as he runs to his room.

Talia laughs at the young man, he seems good, but her son has such a rotten luck when it comes to relationships so...

"I brought breakfast!" She lifts the take out box and a few more gifts bags. Derek steps away from the door to let his mother in.

They talk little before Stiles and Arty reappear. Arty is wearing a cute loose blue dress, and a white headband. Stiles had change into fresh clothes. Arty is invested on the blue shiny skirt, and she sits on place to observe it.

Stiles disappears to the kitchen, he has all ingredients for his mother's recipe but he needs to hurry.

"please, would you stay for lunch?" Stiles pops his head out of the kitchen to ask Talia. She turns to Derek who groans and says 'you are welcome to stay.'

Stiles goes back in forth between the kitchen and the living room to participate on the conversation. He surprises both werewolf with his extended knowledge of supernatural creatures, and experiences with them.

The times passes fast. There is a lot to be re-tale of Arty's life, a scrapbook to read, old tips of child caring to be share, and a new invitation to offer.

"No" Derek didn't even tries to make an excuse of why he won't go to the next pack meeting.

"Derek, everyone wants to get to know Arty _and_ Stiles" Talia insists. Derek's cheeks darken at the idea of what his family would be saying of Stiles. Oh, it would make Peter's day!

"They want to meet me?" Stiles walks out of the kitchen.

"Well, yes. You take care of the youngest Hale and Derek! Of course, the pack want to meet you." Talia smiles.

"Wow" Stiles lets out.

"No. I won't go at least that is obligatory, and even if it is obligatory Stiles doesn't need to go."

Stiles returns to the kitchen, not wanting to get involved in any family drama... anymore family drama, and Talia shakes her head at Derek.

The dinner goes better than expected. The sun goes away and Talia says her goodbyes.

She takes Derek for a walk -and most likely a talk, not as his mother but as his Alpha, Stiles stays behind with Arty. The human doesn't worry about Derek, he feels that Talia just wants to ask a few questions about the smallest member of the Hale pack, and those questions are not meant for non-pack members aka. Stiles.

Stiles gets Arty out of her dress, he puts the leftovers away, cleans the kitchen, he thinks of looking if Derek has any interesting cases on his home office but decides against it, and then he waits with Arty while watching bright cartoons.

Stiles' phone shines with a new text; Derek would return home in the morning, a second text told Stiles not to worry. After answering to the text, and making clear Stiles wants answers in the morning, he picks up Arty and leaves to his bedroom.

Arty is clean and ready to sleep, and Stiles tries to decide on which bedroom sleep; his or Derek's.

Stiles puts pillows around Arty as he positions himself to sleep. If Derek asks 'why are you sleeping on my bed?', then Stiles would say Arty need it her dad's smell. Is a very good excuse.

A knock at the door wakes up Stiles and Arty. Stiles picks up the baby as he tries to sooth her back to sleep. He tells her is just her dad, who most likely forgot his keys like a huge dork. He swings the door open to find a stranger standing in front. Stiles had never seen her before, and she has never seen Stiles before, but both stare at the other completely sure who they are looking at.

Arty seems immune to the tension. Stiles wants to close the door, but his muscles won't response. The human holds the baby like he expects the woman in front of him to rip Arty out his arms, and take her away, far away. The woman lets silence tears down her cheeks, she looks tired -like she had been running- her mouth moves like she has many things to say, but she knows she doesn't have the right to say them. Pixy can only say what she came to say -that was the deal.

"Listen, closely-" There was thunder on the sky, soon would start raining, it was such a nice night moments ago.

AN: please let me know if it makes sense and stuff, thanks.

Also we are almost there, this story is suppose to had 10 chapter and an epilogue.


	8. Motherless

**Motherless**

Pixy used to loved running. All of Pixy's sisters and friends were dreamers, but Pixy had always been a runner.

When she was a child she would ran back and fore, from her house to the community store at her neighborhood, buying her errants one by one, only to have an excuse to run.

She was the happiest 12 year old in the neighborhood when she became the newspaper girl; little Pixy would wake up every morning before the sunrise to run through the street.

It wasn't until she became 13 that people really started questioning her love for running. "Isn't _she_ a little old?" They would say. "Why so boyish?" "Is the lack of supervision?" Her parents would ask her why did she like running. "Because, I only had a minute to breath at night, I need strong lungs!" Pixy should had known better before saying something like that.

"She needs medication"

That stopped her from running for three years.

Then she ran away from home.

It only took two days for a woman to approached her, and tell Pixy that she was a magical creature called a spark.

Not quite a witch, not quite a mortal.

Pixy tried to ran back and fore between the magical world and the human world, but eventually she had to choose between them.

That is why she is running away from her world one last time, to deliver a message.

"Listen closely!" Pixy says to the man who holds her baby. The man steps back and moves to close the door but Pixy uses her shoulders to stop the door from closing.

"This is important!" Pixy begs, but the man seems unaffected by her cries. "I'll go."

"GOOD" The man finally speaks and tries to squeeze her out, but is a hard task with a baby on his arms.

"I'll go,after a deliver my message." Pixy tries to explain.

"I'm not a secretary." The man says between his teeth, Pixy pushes hard enough to open the door again.

"Please! You don't understand and you won't until it's all over. Then it will be too late… " The man doesn't answer which Pixy hopes it means he is somewhat ready to listen, but now Pixy must convince him that she is telling the true.

The rain becomes louder, and the baby starts crying.

"She isn't a werewolf." Pixy starts and the man almost laughs.

"Oh, I must had imagined the last four of five full moons. Or that the alpha, you know what an alpha is right? -the big leader of a very overprotective group of werewolves, werewolves full with instincts, that accepted it Arty in to the pack. A pack of werewolfs!"

Pixy stares in silence, so much information at once. This man had taken care of Arty over the last four months or more, the baby's name is Arty or maybe is short for something else, and Arty had been accepted in a pack.

"She might seem like a werewolf, but she isn't" Arty responses once she remembers that the man's patience won't last long.

"She is a creature born of a beast and magic."

"She is a familiar?!" The man answers before Pixy can explain. He is quick and smart… he'll be good for Arty.

"Yes." Pixy finally says. "But that's not what I came to say."

"I thought that there were no more born familiar?" The man says. Pixy understands why does it shock him so much. Familiars are witches companions, but normally a witch would pick an animal and feed it magic until is a familiar -born familiars are rare. They come from a world of old magic.

"She'll be wanted by any witch that knows of her existence." Pixy says. A witch that posses a born familiar would become undefeatable.

"No. No one knows."

"Did you truly thought she was a werewolf. Or at any point she displayed an ability ...that made you doubt?" The man didn't flick, he doesn't think he just answers.

"SHE IS A BABY!" Pixy controlled herself from reaching for the crying baby. The man rocks Arty as he whispers sorrys to her hair.

"Someone will notice."

"She has a pack."

"Someone will defeat them."

The man glares at her.

"Sooner than later." Pixy says and the man tries to kill her with a glare, the floor is getting wet with the rainwater.

"That's why you came?"

Pixy nods.

"Who?"

"Many. A witch had a vision of the born familiar and he sold the information. Lone witches, groups, immortals, rockies, white magic, dark magic… you name it."

The man says a few words that he shouldn't in front of the baby, but Arty doesn't seem to care.

"But that might not your biggest problem." The man stares at her, ready to take whatever will come out of her mouth.

"What now?" He says, sounding tired but not defeat it.

 _He will stay with Arty_. Pixy thinks before answering.

"Hunters. They will come when they see the witches moving, and it will be a bloodbath. They will learn about Arty" She sees the man's eyes open with horror. " and they will kill her."

The next hour is Pixy repeating everything she said, as the baby cries and the man tries not to accompany her.

Pixy leaves feeling even worse than last time she left Derek's apartment.

Stiles holds Arty and waits for Derek.

Stiles paces across the room, feeds Arty and he thinks about many things.

Stiles drys Arty and cover her in warm blankets.

Stiles thinks about Arty's behavior, and her little dream land … it would be the 'soul/mind' connection that familiars are suppose to had with the witch they choose.

Maybe, he is wrong.

Maybe that woman is just super bitter and made the whole thing up.

Maybe there is nothing to worry at all.

He needs to talk to Derek. But how is Stiles suppose to tell him what just happen.

Stiles waits, when Derek smells the woman intruding his home and asks, then Stiles would explain everything.

The rain has finally stop.

Derek enters the door and steps on the damp floor. He wonders momentarily about how did the rain got there, but he has other things to worry about.

Derek finds Stiles and Arty on his bed.

Stiles smells like worry and desperation, but Derek doesn't wake him up.

Next morning Arty wakes up both men with her cries, either of them are truly surprise.

Stiles is completely awake and waits for the question.

Derek moves and brings Arty closer to him.

Derek doesn't ask, so Stiles doesn't tell him.

AN: sorry this took so long, I'll try to up date more often.

Please let me know if it makes sense and stuff.


End file.
